Given that this is an air travel-addicted industry whose artists give energy-intensive live concerts and release vinyl albums, the music business is rightly being tested for its green qualities. But as Brian Eno argues, more and more musicians and workers are also trying to improve sustainability and public understanding. “A lot of people realize that we can’t just talk about the problem – we have to do something about it in our own practice,” he said.
On Earth Day this year – April 22 – the producer, artist and activist plans to illuminate the Internet with unprecedented music to draw attention and resources to the climate crisis. Approximately 100 artists will release material exclusively through Bandcamp – with the platform waiving its fees – and the proceeds will be distributed among causes that are at the forefront of the emergency.
“I just finished a song this morning with Michael Stape,” says Ino, revealing an exclusive collaboration with the former REM singer called Future If Future. “This will be the first time I’ve worked with him, even though I sang with him once on Saturday Night Live or something,” smiles the 73-year-old at his recording studio in West London. “I am just happy with the way he is gone. This is a very good song, a lot of Stipe’s song. Wonderful text, unusual piece. ”
“Their contribution is really important. They took the issue very seriously. ”Coldplay
The list of other participants is international, intergenerational and eclectic: from alto-poppers Anna Calvi and the weather station, to Generation Z icon Declan McKenna and songwriter Mercage Dave. Coldplay – with whom Ino has produced two albums – will also share music as part of it, and Ino is producing new material with Hot Chip, including Savages drummer Faye Milton.
Another contributor is London saxophonist and songwriter Laura Mish. “Music is not created in a vacuum and we need to protect the environment it comes from,” she said. “A song is like a drop in the ocean, but I realized that every drop counts.”
Eno, known worldwide as the founder of Roxy Music, a pioneer of ambient music and a collaborator with David Bowie and U2, has been an advocate for greater action on the climate crisis for years, including supporting ClientEarth with musicians such as David Gilmore. Pink Floyd.
Convinced that the music community can do more, and frustrated that less than 3% of philanthropic funding goes to the climate crisis, Ino co-founded a charity called EarthPercent in 2021. Engaging all corners of the industry – from touring Live to Publishers – By asking them to donate a small percentage of their revenue, its goal is to raise $ 100 million (£ 76 million) by 2030. EarthPercent is redirecting that money to “the most influential climate causes”, a group of projects and charities selected by an independent “expert advisory panel” of more than a dozen contributors, including IPCC author Tamsin Edwards, Prof. Brian Cox and activist Tori Tsui.
Internationally, between generations and eclectic … Hot Chip, Brian Eno, right, and Faye Milton, center
“We’re trying to tell people, ‘Look, if you want to find an easy way to join the climate fight, that might be the answer,'” Ino said. “We’re a shortcut to a lot of things that might otherwise be quite difficult to do.” For example, receiving support for organizations dedicated to nature management, the transition to clean energy and climate justice.
Today, his studio is quiet, but lately it has been buzzing with activities with presentations, talks and brainstorms, as Ino has gathered artists at his headquarters. “It was so nice to see the enthusiasm and intelligence in the music business,” he says, “especially with the new artists. You don’t have to convince them. All you have to do is tell them, “How would you handle this?” They have a lot of ideas.
“It was so nice to see the enthusiasm and intelligence in the music business”… Murkage Dave
Part of EarthPercent’s mission is to address the environmental impact of the music industry. In particular, the carbon production of the tours has come under the spotlight, and in recent years some high-ranking artists have taken steps to address the problem.
The Coldplay Music of the Spheres world tour is structured around a series of comprehensive “sustainability initiatives” – measures such as kinetic dancing that uses the energy of the crowd and an app that provides travel tips for concert goers – that seeks to reduce carbon emissions by 50% compared to their last global broadcasts. They will share their findings, creating a plan for a more sustainable model around the events of the stadium.
“Theirs [contribution] it’s really important, “says Ino. “They took the issue very seriously and spent a lot of resources on it. They are at the forefront of this by saying, “We still want to play people, so what do we do?” Coldplay was very conscientious and intelligent. “
Other grassroots organizations – such as the Music Declares Emergency, A Greener Festival and Reverb – have grown in membership, with large and independent record labels joining forces to commit to climate goals by the end of 2021. Massive Attack and 1975 had “super low carbon” gigs planned, although canceled by Covid and metal band Bring Me the Horizon, reduced emissions by 38% during their UK arena tour in September 2021 through approaches such as serving plant food to crew, production trucks powered by HVO renewable diesel and the introduction of more energy efficient equipment.
Music – like other industries – relies on a sustainable transition in other sectors (energy, travel, shipping). Until then, international tours continued to have an impact on the environment – a criticism that is sometimes leveled at artists.
“We all have an imprint, we are all compromised,” Ino said last year. “The problem with the issue of hypocrisy is that it directs the spotlight on you and says, ‘You’re the problem – you have to solve the problem yourself.’ As individuals, we are not really the problem, we are in a system that is problematic. “
If successful, Ino plans his Earth Day project to be an annual campaign and hopes that EarthPercent’s work could be extended to other creative sectors. “The biggest movement in human history is now trying to tackle climate change,” he said. “We are doing something like a community and people like that feeling. This is something that capitalism really did not understand. It turns out that what really sustains us is doing things together. “
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